BENGALURU — A 25-year-old woman was arrested in Karnataka on Thursday for allegedly posting a WhatsApp status message on Pakistan’s Republic Day, which falls on March 23, reported The Indian Express.
The incident took place at Mudhol in Bagalkot district, located in the northern part of Karnataka.
Sources in the police department said the message posted by Kuthma Sheikh read: “May God bless every nation with peace, unity and harmony”. Sheikh was released on bail a day later, on March 25, with a police officer telling The Indian Express that the arrest was made to “maintain peace and law and order”.
Sheikh, a Mudhol resident, is a senior student at a Madrassa. Her arrest came after a person named Arun Kumar Bhajantri, who the police said is an activist, lodged a complaint stating “she was creating enmity between two communities by posting wishes on Pakistan’s Republic day”.
Bagalkot SP Lokesh Bharamappa Jagalasar told The Indian Express that the case was registered based on Bhajantri’s complaint, and probe is underway.
The case was filed under Sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc.) and 505 (2) (statements promoting enmity between groups) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).